It’s 9pm on Good Friday 2008 & as I prayed while sitting on my front porch I began to think about what Satan was going through 2008 years ago.  Just yesterday, the devil was very confused when Jesus told the twelve that He was giving them His body and blood to eat.  He had mentioned this “food” earlier in a discourse where many of Jesus’ disciples murmured when he told them that He was bread that came down from heaven. 

Last evening Satan watched as Jesus sweat blood in the Garden.  The evil one taunted Jesus and mocked our Lord for what seemed to be weakness.  Satan laughed at the sleeping eleven.  He had finally found someone to betray the Lord and Judas picked the perfect night to betray his Master.  Things at this point were looking very good for the devil.  This recent turn of events was what He had tried to do for 33 years.  Maybe, just maybe, he had figured out how to defeat God.  The Chosen were rejecting their Savior.  It appeared that everyone was deserting His message.  His people were calling for His death and the Romans were happy to help them. 

Twelve hours earlier, Satan must have thought that he had won.  Pilate had washed his hands of Jesus and then had him scourged to near death.  Two soldiers are making a crown of thorns and two others are gathering nails and a mallet.  Only a handful of his followers are with him.  Then, as a cross was placed on the shoulders of Jesus, the devil began to get nervous.  Until now, he thought that he had done it.  But now, as he stared at Jesus and His cross, much of what Jesus had said became very clear.  As Jesus began his walk to Calvary, Satan realized that the Old Testament was being fulfilled and that Jesus was doing exactly what He preached.  He was not going to free the Jews with legions of angels.  He was not going to become a great soldier and leader.  He was going to take the sins of the wood of the cross and pay for them by His death. 

As Jesus said, “I thirst”, Satan recalled Psalm 22:16 and when the soldier picked up a lance instead of breaking the legs of Jesus, the devil voiced Zechariah 12:10 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and petition; and they shall look on him whom they have thrust through, and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a first-born.”  This was not to be victory for the Fallen One.  They had divided Jesus’ garments and his legs were not broken.  David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah were truly prophets.  Their words were being fulfilled.  At this point in time, 10 hours and 2008 years ago, the devil knew that he had lost.  He would now be chained and people would have to come to him.  He was defeated.  By His dying, Jesus had conquered death. 

It is a little after 10 o’clock.   2008 years ago, Satan was witnessing the saints being released from their sleep. (Mt 27:52)  His army was being defeated and He screamed in agony that the Christ will rise from the dead and open up the gates which were closed by Adam.  Jesus had been true to the Will of the Father.  He lived among us and was without sin.  He who did not know sin, died to wash us clean.  Thank the Lord that Satan has some very bad memories of this time.  Thank the Lord for our gift of Eternal Life.

I end my Good Friday thoughts with a prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.  May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou O Prince of the heavenly host.  By the Divine Power of God, Cast into hell satan and all the other evil spirits who wander throughout the world seeking the ruin of Souls. Amen.